Iron Arc from a early Randall & Co. Leather creaser from between 1875 and 1887

[SHaenel]

This was in a box of stuff I bought at an auction thinking it was an antique bell yoke.  Once I realized it was not for that, I contacted the CAMPBELL-RANDALL MACHINERY company directly and game them this same photos to help identify it.  Here is their reply:

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Yep, that's from an early Randall & Co. Leather creaser. 

 

The basic design was patented in 1875, and the later improvements started being patented in 1887, so this one would have been made somewhere in that 12-year window.  The 1861 patent was by another company for a different creasing machine, that Randall either bought or licensed the rights to, so 1875 would be the earliest.

 

If you are looking to sell, its history is pretty cool and it is worth putting in the right hands.  One of these creasers that is complete and working would be worth around $900.

 

The creasing roll shafts are the expensive part.  To sell it the arc, you would have to find someone who collects leather bench tools who might have a use for it.  Maybe to replace one on an existing machine. 

 

It's sad because you see stuff like this on eBay where people pull the cool looking parts off of machines for art and scrap the rest. Short sighted industrial tomb raiders of the digital age.

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Then they directed me here to where it may be more likely that I find someone needing this part.  So here I am.

 

I would like to find someone having a machine that needs this part so I don't see it go to waste.  Willing to sell it for just $30.  Buyer pays shipping via USPS from 62056.